Lo Stand-up di Questa Mattina
Running a stand-up · a free Italian immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Ieri ho completato l'integrazione del sistema di pagamento.
Yesterday I completed the payment system integration.
Literal Yesterday I have completed the integration of the payment system.
Uses the passato prossimo with 'ho completato' to report a finished task — the standard structure for standup updates in Italian.
- ho completato = passato prossimo of completare: auxiliary 'avere' (ho) + past participle (completato)
- l'integrazione = la + integrazione with elision before a vowel
Sto lavorando su un bug critico nel modulo di autenticazione.
I am working on a critical bug in the authentication module.
Literal I am working on a critical bug in the module of authentication.
The construction 'sto + gerundio' (present progressive) describes work actively in progress right now.
- sto lavorando = present progressive: stare (present tense) + gerund of lavorare (-ando)
- su = preposition meaning 'on' when specifying a task or topic
Ho finito di scrivere i test unitari per la nuova funzionalità.
I finished writing the unit tests for the new feature.
Literal I have finished of writing the unit tests for the new feature.
'Ho finito di + infinitive' is a fixed pattern meaning 'I finished doing something,' very common for reporting completed items.
- finire di + infinitive = to finish doing something (the 'di' is required before the infinitive)
- ho finito = passato prossimo of finire; the past participle 'finito' is fully regular: -ire verbs form their past participle with stem + -ito (finire → fin- + -ito = finito)
Potrebbe essere un problema la mancanza di documentazione dell'API.
The lack of API documentation could be a problem.
Literal Could be a problem the lack of documentation of the API.
'Potrebbe' is the conditional of 'potere,' used here to flag a potential blocker diplomatically rather than stating it as a hard fact.
- potrebbe = conditional of potere (can): used for polite, hypothetical, or uncertain statements
- mancanza di = lack of (abstract noun + di to introduce what is missing)
Domani comincerò a lavorare sul refactoring del database.
Tomorrow I will start working on the database refactoring.
Literal Tomorrow I will begin to work on the refactoring of the database.
'Comincerò' is the simple future of 'cominciare,' the natural tense for setting expectations about next steps.
- comincerò = future tense of cominciare: stem comincer- + ending -ò (first person singular)
- cominciare a + infinitive = to start doing something (requires 'a' before the infinitive)
Ho bisogno di chiarimenti sui requisiti del cliente.
I need clarification on the client's requirements.
Literal I have need of clarifications on the requirements of the client.
'Avere bisogno di' (to need) is an essential idiomatic expression using 'avere' rather than a standalone verb — used here to ask for input.
- ho bisogno di = I need (literally: I have need of) — avere bisogno di is an idiomatic phrase
- sui = su + i, a contraction meaning 'on the' before a masculine plural noun
Avrei bisogno di una revisione del mio codice prima del rilascio.
I would need a code review before the release.
Literal I would have need of a review of my code before the release.
'Avrei bisogno di' (conditional) is a polite, professional way to request help or signal a dependency — softer than 'ho bisogno di.'
- avrei = conditional of avere: avere + conditional ending (-rei) — more polite than the present indicative
- prima del = before the: prima di + il → prima del (mandatory contraction)
Posso aiutarti con quella parte se hai bisogno.
I can help you with that part if you need it.
Literal I can help-you with that part if you have need.
'Posso' expresses ability and willingness. 'Aiutarti' fuses the infinitive 'aiutare' with the direct object clitic 'ti' (you).
- posso = first person singular present of potere (to be able to / can)
- aiutarti = aiutare + ti: object clitic 'ti' (you) attaches to the infinitive after dropping the final -e
Il mio obiettivo per oggi è completare la migrazione dei dati.
My goal for today is to complete the data migration.
Literal The my objective for today is to complete the migration of the data.
A clear standup formula for naming your goal: 'il mio obiettivo è + infinitive.' Note that Italian uses the definite article before possessive adjectives.
- il mio obiettivo = my goal/objective — Italian requires the article 'il' before possessive adjectives for most nouns
- è + infinitive = 'is to do something': the infinitive acts as the subject complement here
Devo ancora risolvere il problema di connessione con il server esterno.
I still need to resolve the connection problem with the external server.
Literal I must still resolve the problem of connection with the external server.
'Devo' expresses obligation. 'Ancora' here means 'still,' flagging an unresolved item carried over from the previous standup.
- devo = first person singular present of dovere (must / to have to) — a modal verb followed by infinitive
- ancora = still (in this context); it can also mean 'again' or 'yet' depending on context
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
completato
completed
Ho completato il report stamattina.
I completed the report this morning.
Past participle of 'completare'; the core word for reporting finished work in a standup.
blocco
blocker / block
C'è un blocco su questo task.
There is a blocker on this task.
In agile contexts, 'blocco' or 'impedimento' both translate the concept of a standup blocker.
rilascio
release / deployment
Il rilascio è previsto per venerdì.
The release is scheduled for Friday.
Standard software development term; 'deploy' is also commonly used as a loan word.
requisiti
requirements
Devo rivedere i requisiti del progetto.
I need to review the project requirements.
Plural of 'requisito'; essential in any project or product discussion.
aggiornamento
update
Hai un aggiornamento sul bug critico?
Do you have an update on the critical bug?
From 'aggiornare' (to update); also used for software version updates.
priorità
priority
Qual è la tua priorità oggi?
What is your priority today?
Invariable noun — the plural form is also 'le priorità,' no change in spelling.
dipendenza
dependency
C'è una dipendenza con il team di design.
There is a dependency on the design team.
Used in project management to describe cross-team dependencies.
obiettivo
goal / objective
Il mio obiettivo è finire entro mezzogiorno.
My goal is to finish by noon.
More formal register than 'scopo'; widely used in professional and business Italian.
in corso
in progress / ongoing
Il testing è ancora in corso.
The testing is still in progress.
A fixed phrase; 'corso' literally means 'course' or 'run.' Equivalent to WIP (work in progress).
chiarimento
clarification
Ho bisogno di un chiarimento sui requisiti.
I need a clarification on the requirements.
From 'chiarire' (to clarify); plural 'chiarimenti' when asking for multiple points of clarity.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Ogni mattina il team si riunisce per il daily stand-up. Tutti condividono un breve aggiornamento: cosa hanno completato, su cosa stanno lavorando e se c'è qualche blocco. Questa mattina Marco ha detto che ha finito il modulo di login e sta ora lavorando sulla dashboard. Sofia ha spiegato che potrebbe avere una dipendenza dal team di design, quindi ha bisogno di una risposta prima di procedere. Il team manager ha concluso dicendo che domani il rilascio sarà la priorità principale.
Sentence by sentence
il team si riunisce
the team gathers
Reflexive verb 'riunirsi' (to meet / gather together); 'si riunisce' is third person singular present.
cosa hanno completato
what they have completed
Passato prossimo in third person plural: 'hanno' (auxiliary avere) + 'completato' (past participle). 'Cosa' introduces an indirect question.
stanno lavorando
they are working
Present progressive: 'stanno' (third person plural of stare) + gerund 'lavorando' — describes ongoing activity.
potrebbe avere una dipendenza
might have a dependency
'Potrebbe' is the conditional of 'potere,' signalling possibility and diplomatic framing of a potential blocker.
ha bisogno di una risposta prima di procedere
needs a response before proceeding
'Ha bisogno di' (needs) + noun; 'prima di + infinitive' means 'before doing something' — two high-frequency patterns in one clause.
domani il rilascio sarà la priorità principale
tomorrow the release will be the main priority
'Sarà' is the simple future of 'essere' (to be), used to set a clear expectation for the following day.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Passato Prossimo with Avere: Reporting Completed Work
The passato prossimo is the primary tense for reporting completed actions in spoken and professional Italian. It is formed with the present tense of 'avere' (or 'essere' for certain verbs) plus the past participle of the main verb. In standup contexts, the vast majority of completed-task reports use 'avere' as the auxiliary.
ho / hai / ha / abbiamo / avete / hanno + [past participle]
Ho completato il task assegnato.
I completed the assigned task.
Abbiamo finito i test di regressione.
We finished the regression tests.
Ha risolto il bug critico ieri sera.
He/She resolved the critical bug last night.
Ho inviato la documentazione al cliente.
I sent the documentation to the client.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Italian: 'Yesterday I completed the payment system integration.'
Hint Use passato prossimo: ho + past participle of 'completare'
Complete the sentence: 'Ho finito di scrivere i test ___ per la nuova funzionalità.' (unit tests)
Hint The Italian adjective for 'unit' (as in unit tests) is the plural form.
Translate to English: 'Avrei bisogno di una revisione del mio codice prima del rilascio.'
Hint 'Avrei bisogno di' is a polite way to express a need.
How do you say 'My goal for today is to complete the data migration'?
Rewrite using passato prossimo: 'Io scrivo i test unitari.' (I wrote the unit tests — it's done!)
Hint 'Scrivere' has an irregular past participle.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
Nice work, you understood something real today. Come back tomorrow for a fresh one.
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